Jet pump system and method with improved efficency

ABSTRACT

The present disclosure is of a jet pump system, and reverse power generation system and other desirable applications consisting of an impeller with inlet vortex vanes and outlet vortex vanes. The inlet vortex vane induces rotational movement on mass entering the impeller inlet. The outlet vortex vanes remove swirl from mass exiting the impeller outlet. Embodiments include a jet pump system involving a pulley and belt which can allow for obstruction free movement of mass. In another embodiment the impeller is connected via an electromagnetic connection. In another embodiment the impeller acts as a rim-driven generator of electrical power. In another embodiment the drive pulley is a centrifugal clutch or uses a chain sprocket or tandem jet system in series.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This disclosure relates generally to a jet pump with improved efficiency.

BACKGROUND

Jet pumps include a motor, an impeller, a jet pump inlet and a jet pump outlet. The motor causes the impeller of the jet pump to rotate so that fluid from the jet pump inlet is moved to the jet pump outlet. The fluid moves from the jet pump inlet to the jet pump outlet at a rate proportionate to the rotational speed of the impeller. The impeller rotation speed is proportional to the rotational speed of the drive shaft of the jet pump motor. In the prior art jet pumps, the motor output shaft is directly connected to the center axis of the jet pump impeller blades such that when the output shaft rotates, this rotation causes the impeller blades to rotate as well. Connecting the motor output shaft to the impeller in this manner results in an obstruction that causes increase flow resistance of fluid when it enters the impeller. The rotational speed of the motor shaft can be increased to compensate for the increased flow resistance caused by this direct motor output shaft connected to the impeller blades. However, increasing the rotational speed of the motor shaft requires an increase in energy supplied to the impeller, and therefore, decreasing the efficiency to operate the jet pump.

This background information is provided for the purpose of making known information believed by the applicant to be of possible relevance to the present invention. No admission is necessarily intended, nor should be construed, that any of the preceding information constitutes prior art against the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to obviate or mitigate at least one disadvantage of the prior art.

An aspect of the present disclosure provides a jet pump system. This jet pump system can comprise an impeller, inlet vortex vanes, and outlet vortex vanes.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, the impeller can be attached to a drive pulley by a belt. The drive pulley can be in turn connected to the output shaft of a motor so that when the motor causes the output shaft to rotate the output shaft can also cause the drive pulley to rotate. Rotation of the drive pully can in turn cause the belt to move and can in turn cause the impeller to rotate.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, the impeller can be electromagnetically connected to a housing.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, energy applied to the housing electromagnetically can cause the impeller to rotate.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, the rotation of the impeller by the mass entering the impeller can cause the housing to act as a generator of electrical power.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, the inlet vortex vanes of the impeller can direct mass that enters the jet pump to an angle matching the optimal angle of blades of the impeller.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, the inlet vortex vanes and the lack of an impeller shaft can remove a flow obstruction and can improve efficiency and can remove the source of a flow disturbance that can be caused by the obstruction. Removing the obstruction can result in a smooth mass flow striking the impeller at an optimum angle of attack and can create more thrust for a given impeller size and shape to motor output power ratio.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, the inlet vortex vanes of the impeller can cause a mass that enters the impeller to rotate in a direction that is opposite to the direction of rotation of the impeller.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, the outlet vortex vanes of the impeller can increases the flow of the mass and can also reduce flow swirl at the exit of the jet pump system.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, the outlet vortex vanes of the impeller can be matched to the optimal angle of the impeller blades.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, the outlet vortex vanes of the impeller can direct the trajectory of mass exiting the impeller to minimize swirl.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, the impeller can be connected to an impeller housing by a bearing and a seal and a retaining device.

In some embodiments of the jet pump, the output shaft of the motor can be connected to the drive pulley by a centrifugal clutch or constant velocity transmission.

A further aspect of the present disclosure provides a method of a jet pump system. The mass pumped by the jet pump system can enter the jet pump system through inlet vortex vanes and then can pass through an impeller and then can pass through outlet vortex vanes to exit the jet pump system.

In some embodiments of the jet pump system, the outlet vortex vanes can remove swirl at the exit the jet pump system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Embodiments of the present disclosure will now be described, by way of example only, by reference to the attached Figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 illustrates a prior art jet pump with the impeller connected to the motor output shaft.

FIG. 2 illustrates an embodiment of a jet pump where the impeller is connected to a belt, which is in turn connected to the motor output shaft via a drive pulley in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 illustrates prior art impeller component with a motor output shaft obstruction.

FIG. 4 illustrates a cut-away front/side view of an embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-sectional side view of an embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cut-away front/side view of an embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates an inlet view of a magnetic rim-drive impeller that can be included in an embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 8 illustrates a side view of a magnetic rim-drive impeller that can be included in an embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 9 illustrates a side view of a pump jet that can be included in an embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 10 illustrates a front view of the inlet, a back view of the outlet, and front view of the impeller, belt and pulley, spaced as if they were encased in the housing of a pump jet that can be included in an embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 11 illustrates another front-side view of a pump jet embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 12 illustrates the impeller and belt from a front view of a pump jet embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 13 illustrates part of the inlet of a pump jet embodiment from a front view in accordance with the present disclosure.

FIG. 14 illustrate part of the outlet of pump jet embodiment from a back view in accordance with the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, features of the present disclosure are described by way of example embodiments.

The object of the present embodiments of the disclosure is to provide a jet pump apparatus that can be more efficiently move a mass. The definition of mass can be but is not limited to a fluid, liquid, gas, material or any mixture.

Embodiments of the present disclosure can reduce the flow disturbance that can be experienced by a mass as it is pumped. Flow disturbance can include velocity fluctuations, asymmetric velocity profiles, swirl, and the like.

Embodiments of the present disclosure can reduce the disturbance applied to the mass as the mass is pumped so that the motion of the mass is smooth.

Embodiments of the present disclosure can include a constant velocity transmission. A person skilled in the art will understand that a constant velocity transmission can be a type of transmission that can maintain a constant speed.

FIG. 1 illustrates a schematic diagram of a prior art jet pump 100 which moves fluid. Motor 170 causes jet pump motor output shaft 110 to rotate. The rotation of jet pump motor output shaft 110 causes impeller blades 180 to rotate. The rotation of impeller blades 180 causes fluid to enter jet pump inlet 140 and then causes the fluid to be pulled into impeller inlet 130. The rotation of impeller blades 180 then causes the fluid that enters impeller inlet 130 to be forced through impeller housing 120 and exit impeller housing 120 at impeller outlet 160. The fluid that exits impeller housing 120 at impeller outlet 160 then exits jet pump 100 at outlet 150.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic diagram of an embodiment, jet pump 200. Mass can enter jet pump 200 through inlet 140. Motor 170 can cause jet pump motor output shaft 210 to rotate. The rotation of jet pump output shaft 210 can cause drive pulley 260 to rotate and turn can cause belt 220 to move. The motion of belt 220 can cause impeller 230 to rotate. The rotation of impeller 230 can cause a mass to enter jet pump inlet 140 and then pull the mass into impeller inlet 240. The rotation of impeller 230 can then cause the mass that entered impeller inlet 240 to be forced through impeller 230 and to exit impeller 230 at impeller outlet 250. The mass that can exit impeller 230 at impeller outlet 250 can then exit jet pump 200 at outlet 150.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic diagram of a prior art impeller 300, impeller blades 180 are connected to jet pump motor output shaft 110 via bearing 330. A drawback of connecting impeller blades 180 to output shaft 110 in this way is that output shaft 110, bearing 330, and seal 310 are directly in the path of mass entering impeller inlet 130. Therefore output shaft 110, bearing 330 and seal 310 obstruct the flow of mass entering impeller inlet 130.

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 each illustrate different views of embodiments of this disclosure that can overcome the prior art obstruction problem previously described and due to the presence of output shaft 110, bearing 330 and seal 310. In an attempt to overcome this obstruction problem, belt 220, which causes impeder 230 to rotate, is connected to impeller 230 and therefore does not obstruct the flow of mass entering impeller inlet 240. Therefore this belt can be outside the path of mass entering the impeller inlet such that the impeller inlet can be obstruction free. As a result, impeller 230 can be more efficient than the prior art impeller 300 because prior art impeller 300 can require more energy to transfer the same amount of mass from jet pump inlet 140 to outlet 150. More energy is required by prior art impeller 300 because motor 170 may cause output shaft 210 to rotate less efficiently in order to compensate for the obstruction created by the prior art jet pump motor output combination of shaft 110, bearing 330, and seal 310. The embodiments illustrated by FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 can include a non-limiting example of an arrow-shaped impeller that can be designed to reduce resistance to movement of mass. However, other embodiments can comprise one or more differently shaped impellers that can alter the movement of mass differently than an arrow-shaped impeller.

FIG. 4 illustrates impeller 230 and its connection to motor output shaft 210. Inlet vortex vanes 410 can be placed and designed to direct mass that enters pump inlet 140 so that this mass can enter impeller 230 at an angle that is matched optimally to the angle of impeller blades 420. The shape, angle and number of the inlet vortex vanes 410, the outlet vortex vanes 470, and impeller blades 420 can be varied. Embodiments can include inlet vortex vanes 410 with different optimal angles, the outlet vanes 470 with different optimal angles and impeller blades 420 with different optimal angles. In some embodiments, the optimal angles of the inlet vortex vanes 410, outlet vanes 470, and impeller blades 420 can be the same optimal angle. In other embodiments the optimal angles of the inlet vortex vanes 410 can be different from the optimal angles of outlet vanes 470, which can be different from the optimal angles of impeller blades 420. The optimal angle can be varied depending on numerous factors that include but are not limited to: 1) speed of rotation, 2) the type of mass and its properties, 3) the application of the embodiment, and 4) operational environment.

In one embodiment the angle of the impeller blade 420 matches the optimal angle of the mass flow that impinges on the impeller blades 420, and can result in more of the mass remaining disturbance free as it enters impeller 230. Mass or fluid that is disturbance free can result in more mass entering impeller 230 than fluid entering prior art impeller 300 when the impeller rotational speed is the same for impeller 230 and prior art impeller 300.

In the inlet 140, the inlet vortex vanes 410 can be stationary and can be attached to the stationary inlet housing 430. In the outlet 150, the outlet vortex vanes 470 can be stationary and can be attached to the stationary inlet housing 440. The impeller 230 can rotate within the main housing 400.

FIG. 5 illustrates a cross-section schematic diagram of impeller 230 in a view that shows impeller 230's outlet. Inlet vortex vanes 410 can be placed and can be designed to allow an increase the amount of mass entering impeller 230 by minimizing the amount of disturbance of the mass. Inlet vortex vanes 410 can also cause the movement of mass entering impeller 230 to rotate in a direction that is opposite to the direction of the rotation of impeller 230. As the mass moves through impeller 230, the movement of the mass may be disturbed. In order to reduce the amount of mass disturbance, outlet vortex vanes 470 can be placed and designed so they can match the optimal angle of impeller blades 420. Outlet vortex vanes 470 can also direct the trajectory of the movement of mass exiting the impeller to minimize swirl. Designing and placing outlet vortex vanes 470 to reduce mass disturbance and reduce swirl can result in an increase the movement of the mass exiting the impeller 230. Increasing the amount of disturbance free mass movement can increase the movement of mass that exits impeller 230 when compared to the prior art impeller 300 for the same impeller rotational speed, shape, and size.

Due to the design and placement of inlet vortex vanes 410 and outlet vortex vanes 470, more of the mass that enters and exits impeller 230 can be disturbance-free. This improvement in the movement of mass can allow impeller 230 to rotate more slowly than prior art impeller 300 while moving the same amount of mass. Slower impeller rotation can be desirable for numerous reasons including for increase efficiency. Slower impeller rotation can mean less energy is required by motor 170 to rotate impeller 230 than prior art impeller 300 and therefore inlet vortex vanes 410 and outlet vortex vanes 470 can result in impeller 230 being more energy efficient than prior art impeller 300.

FIG. 6 illustrates a schematic diagram of impeller 230 in a view that shows embodiment impeller 230 from the side.

Referring back to FIG. 3, prior art impeller 300 can require wear ring 340 to act as a spacer between impeller blades 180 and impeller housing 120. However, wear ring 340 can result in gap 320 between impeller blades 180 and wear ring 340. Gap 320 causes a communication between high pressure outlet of the impeller 160 and 150 and inlet 130 and 140. This communication results in a reduction of performance and thrust due to less total fluid being removed because of movement backwards through the gap. This reduction of performance is known to a person skilled in the art as a loss of traction. A loss of traction can occur because gap no allows fluid to enter impeller 300 at a different speed than the fluid that enters impeller 300 via impeller blades 180. Fluid that enters impeller 300 at different speeds is known to a person skilled in the art as slippage. Slippage can decrease the efficiency of impeller 300. Therefore, impeller blades 180 must be rotated at a higher speed to reduce the effect of slippage and loss of traction.

Connecting impeller 230 to motor output shaft 210 via belt 220 can allow wear ring 340 to be replaced with bearing 450 and seal 460. Therefore impeller 230 can rotate within inlet housing 430 via bearing 450 and seal 460. A person skilled is the art will appreciate that the tip of an impeller blade can refer to the end of impeller blade 420 that can attach to all other impeller blades 420. The person skilled in the art will further appreciate that the other end of impeller blade 420 can attach to the impeller housing. Replacing wear ring 340 with bearing 450 and seal 460 can remove gap 320 with the result that impeller 230 experiences less slippage than prior art impeller 300. Since impeller 230 can have reduced slippage, impeller 230 can be mare efficient than prior art impeller 300 and can rotate at a slower speed than prior art impeller 300 while moving the same amount of mass. Therefore impeller 230 can be efficient at slow and medium speeds where prior art impeller 300 must be rotated at higher speed in order to be efficient. Again, rotating impeller 230 at a slower speed than prior art impeller 300 can result in motor 170 requiring less energy to rotate impeder 230 than the amount of energy required to rotate prior art impeller 300. The impeller 230 with the impeller blade 420 can be attached in such a way as to replace the need to have a wear ring 340.

In another embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure, the pulley can be replaced with a centrifugal clutch. A centrifugal clutch can allow the speed of motor output shaft 210 to rotate at its peak operating speed and impeller 230 to rotate at a slower speed. A person skilled in the art will understand that the centrifugal clutch also allows for the extension of the pump efficiency curve to a broader range of speeds so that the speed of impeller 230 can be increased. A pump's efficiency curve can be used by a person skilled in the art to determine a pump's ability to produce a given flow rate (by setting the impeller's speed) at a certain head pressure. The use of a centrifugal clutch therefore can allow the motor to operate at its peak operating speed and the impeller to operate at a speed that meets a desired efficiency based on flow rate and head pressure.

In another embodiment impeller 230 can be used as a generator of energy. Mass can be supplied to impeller 230's inlet to causes impeller 230 to rotate. The resulting rotation of impeller 230 will cause output shaft 210 to rotate and rotate the winding of a generator (not shown) to generate electrical power. Impeller 230's higher efficiency than prior art impeller 180 can mean that impeller 230 can generate more energy for a given flow of mass than prior art impeller 300.

FIG. 7 illustrates an alternate magnetic-rim drive impeller 710 embodiment that can be included in an axial electric jet pump embodiment or other embodiment of the present disclosure. This alternative magnetic-rim-drive setup 700 can be include in an embodiment and can replace the impeller 230, belt 220, drive pulley 260, shaft 210, or motor 170. The magnetic-rim drive impeller 710 can include magnets 750, and magnetic-rim drive impeller blades 730. It can be housed in a magnetic-rim drive impeller housing 720 that can include windings 760 so that magnetic-rim drive impeller 710 of this embodiment can act as a rotor. The magnetic-rim drive impeller housing 720 can act as a stator of an electric motor. Unlike prior art that uses a shaft in flow, this embodiment can use a rim drive design to generate thrust.

The electromagnetic rim-drive setup 700 illustrated by FIG. 7 can included an embodiment where the wear ring (not shown) found in prior art axial electric jet pumps can be removed so that more magnetic rim-drive impeller blades 730 are driven by incoming mass entering magnetic rim-drive impeller 710 through inlet vortex vanes 410 (not shown) than prior art impeller blades 180. Therefore if the magnetic-rim drive setup 700 is included in an embodiment in accordance with the present disclosure, the embodiment can be more efficient and can be smaller and lighter than prior art axial electric pumps or hydro generators.

Removal of a wear ring in an embodiment including the magnetic rim-drive setup 700 illustrated in FIG. 7 can allow the hub/bearing/seals 740 to be placed between the magnetic-rim drive impeller 710 and magnetic-rim drive housing 720.

The magnetic rim-drive setup 700 embodiment illustrated by FIG. 7 can also be configured and included in an embodiment to operate is a hydro generator. When operating as a generator, magnetic-rim drive impeller 710 can act as a rotor and the magnetic rim-drive impeller housing 720 can be the stator of the generator. These features can be applied to other possible embodiments as generally illustrated in FIGS. 4, 5 and 6, where impeller 420 can transmit rotation force to a shaft via a drive belt 220 to rotate a generator.

The size, angle and shape of magnetic rim-drive impeller blades 730 can be optimized to move mass through this embodiment more efficiently or to achieve other desirable effects than the prior art. These desirable effects can be achieved using inlet vortex vanes to induce incoming mass movement at an optimum angle of attack to impeller blades for hydro generation.

A person skilled in the art will understand that obstructive mass can enter the impeller to cause blockage to the movement of mass through the jet pump system. As a result this embodiment, in accordance with the present disclosure is designed so that impeller 710 can rotate in either a clockwise or counter clockwise direction to clear obstructive mass from the jet pump system.

FIG. 8 illustrates the side view of the axial electric jet pump with a magnetic rim-drive setup 700 that can be included in an embodiment. Mass can enter impeller 710 at magnetic-rim drive inlet 820 and exit at magnetic-rim drive outlet 810.

Embodiments of the present disclosure can operate when submerged in a mass. Other embodiments of the present disclosure can operate when not fully submerged in a mass. Non-limiting examples of applications where submerged and also not fully submerged embodiments can include propulsion, hydro generation, and circulation.

Other embodiments in accordance with the present disclosure can include a chain sprocket system embodiment or a Tandem jet pump system in series embodiment.

In a Tandem jet pump system there can be two jet pumps in series. The impeller housing of the second jet pump can be installed downstream of the outlet of the first jet pump. A reason to install the impeller of the second jet pump down-stream of the outlet of the first jet pump can be to eliminate or counteract rotational torque. A possible result therefore can be to reduce the torque when the first jet pump rotates the mass in one direction and the second jet pump rotates the mass in the opposite direction. Non-limiting examples of torque can any combination of the torque of the first jet pump, the second jet pump, the mass exiting the second jet pump or the like.

Although the present disclosure has been described with reference to specific features and embodiments thereof, it is evident that various modifications and combinations can be made thereto without departing from the disclosure. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded simply as an illustration of the invention as defined by the appended claims, and are contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations, combinations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the present disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A jet pump system comprising: an impeller, inlet vortex vanes, and outlet vortex vanes.
 2. The jet pump system of claim 1 wherein the impeller is attached to a drive pulley by a belt and the drive pulley is in turn connected to the output shaft of a motor such that when the motor causes the output shaft to rotate the output shaft also causes the drive pulley to rotate which in turn causes the belt to move and which in turn rotates the impeller.
 2. The jet pump system of claim 1 wherein the impeller is electromagnetically connected to a housing.
 4. The jet pump system of claim 3 wherein energy applied to the housing electromagnetically causes the impeller to rotate.
 5. The jet pump system of claim 2 wherein the rotation of the impeller by the mass entering the impeller causes the housing to act as a generator of electrical power.
 6. The jet pump system of claim 1 wherein the inlet vortex vanes of the impeller directs mass that enters the jet pump to an angle matching the optimal angle of blades of the impeller.
 7. The jet pump system of claim t wherein the inlet vortex vanes and the lack of an impeller shaft removes a flow obstruction to improve efficiency and removes the source of a flow disturbance caused by the obstruction so that a smooth mass flow strikes the impeller at an optimum angle of attack to create more thrust for a given impeller size and shape to motor output power ratio.
 8. The jet pump system of claim 1 wherein the inlet vortex vanes of the impeller cause mass that enters the impeller to rotate in a direction that is opposite to the direction of rotation of the impeller.
 9. The jet pump system of claim 1 wherein the outlet vortex vanes of the impeller increases the flow of the mass and reduces flow swirl at the exit the jet pump system.
 10. The jet pump system of claim 1 wherein the outlet vortex vanes of the impeller are matched to the optimal angle of the impeller blades.
 11. The jet pump system of claim 1 wherein the outlet vortex vanes of the impeller direct the trajectory of mass exiting the impeller to minimize swirl.
 12. The jet pump system of claim 1 wherein the impeller is connected to an impeller housing by a bearing and a seal and a retaining device
 13. The jet pump system of claim 1 wherein the output shaft of the motor is connected to the drive pulley by a centrifugal clutch or constant velocity transmission.
 14. A method of a jet pump system wherein the mass pumped by the jet pump system enters the jet pump system through inlet vortex vanes and then passes through an impeller and then passes through outlet vortex vanes to exit the jet pump system.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the outlet vortex vanes remove swirl at the exit the jet pump system. 